Bacon & Cream Cheese Hamburger

Bacon & Cream Cheese Hamburger

I know, your arteries are clogging up just by looking at this photo right? I am the first to admit that this is not the healthiest thing on earth. Gosh, it’s probably the unhealthiest thing you could eat but what am I to do when it’s my husband’s birthday and he’s favourite thing is Bacon?

I need to clarify though, that my husband is not a ‘foodie’ . He has a few things that he likes and a few things that he doesn’t, but in general he’ll eat anything I put in front of him and he’ll do it with a smile on his face (he better!) . And, my husband is also not really a birthday person. He enjoys the well wishes and the gifts but he doesn’t thrive on birthdays like I do, for instance. So when it he’s birthday comes around I always want to make it a little bit more special for him by cooking him things that I think he’ll love. And that is how this burger was born.

My husband and I both have a love of most things ‘burger’ and when we find a good one, well, let’s just say we wipe the drool off our chins and dig in! And I’m happy to say that my husband (as well as the family we had over for dinner that night) all fell in love with this burger. My sister-in-law who barely eats anything even made an extra one for her lunch the next day.

I took a few shortcuts to make things a little easier for me. I chose to buy the patties from my butcher (who makes some of the best patties anyway), but if you’d like to make the patties yourself, feel free. It’s very important to get good quality Streaky Bacon and good quality Cream Cheese. I used Lancewood’s Plain Cream Cheese which comes in a ‘brick’-like tub. And then to make this my husband’s ULTIMATE burger, I couldn’t leave out the Mayo. Instead of making my own mayo like I always do, I decided to use Woolworths’ new Burger Mayo which my husband would add to his coffee if he could (at second thought, he probably has!).

I decided not to serve anything with these burgers but some oven-bake chips would go down well, if you have space to still fit them in after eating one of these ginormous burgers!

The amounts aren’t specific, add as much or as little of everything as you please

Hamburger patties
Streaky Bacon (I worked on 3 slices per burger)
Fresh Burger buns
Plain Cream Cheese, room temperature
Mayonnaise
To jazz it up even more add any of the following : Sliced Tomato, Fresh Rocket, Fried onions, Gherkins

I chose to cook my patties on a flat-top grill but feel free to cook them any way you want to. (There’s nothing better than smelling burgers cooking on a braai!)

Place the streaky bacon on a wire-rack and over a baking tray and place into the oven (220°c). Cook until the bacon is crisp and golden.

I always like to toast my burger buns (if you’ve fried the patties in a pan, place the burgers cut side down in that same fat to toast and soak up all the yumminess from the patties).

Spread some cream cheese on the bottom part of the burger bun, top with a cooked patty and then some bacon. Add some Mayo and other toppings of your choice and enjoy! My mouth is actually watering now, FYI!

Being a general food freak has proven to be quite helpful in this career I've found myself in. Author of two cookbooks, photographer, food stylist. Mom to twins. Ex make-up and hair artist obsessed with beautiful clothes and spaces. I love a good G&T and I've been known to spend too much money on shoes.